Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-06-20
WHEELING, W. VA MONDAY MORNING. 1887

land for school purposes, there are now in
New England one hundred and ninety
one Thousand people who can neither read
nor write, and in the State Of Pennsylva-
mia two hundred and twenty-one thousand
who can neither read nor write, and in the
State of New York two hundred and forty
one thousand who can neither read mol
write, while in the United States there are
nearly six millions who can neither read
nor write. Statistics enough to stagger
and cOnfound any man who loves his God
and his country. Now, in view Of this
fact, am in favor Of compulsory educa-
tion. When the parents are so bestial as
to neglect this duty to the child,
say the law, with n strong hand, at
the same time with a gentle
hand, ought to lead these little ones into
the light Of intelligence and good morals.
1t was a beautiful tableau when in our
city swarthy policeman having picked
up a lost child in the street, was found ap'
peasing its cries with a stick OF candy he
had bought at the apple-stand. That was
we'll done, and beautifully done. But, oh!
these thousands of little ones through our
streets, who are
CRYING FOR THE BREAD OF KNOWLEDGE
and Aintelligence. Shall we not give it to
them? The officers of the law ought TO 60
down into the cellars, and up into tue gar
rets, and bring out these benighted lit
tie ones, and put them under educational
influences; after they have passed through
the bath and under the comb, putting be-
fore them the spelling book, and teaching
them to reGd the Lords Prayer and the
Sermon on the Mount: Blessed are the
poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven" Our city ought to be father and
mother both to these outcast little ones.
AS a recipe for the cure of much of this
woe, and want, and crime of our city,
give the words which Thorwaldson had
chiseled on the open scroll in the hand of
the statue of John Gutenberg, the inventor
of the art of printing: LET there be
hghtn'
Still further:
REFoRSGATORY SOCIETIES
are an important element in the rectifca-
tion of the public fountains. Without
calling any of them by name, refer more
especially to those which recognize the
physical as well as the moral woes of the
world. There was pathOs and great deal
of common sense in what the poor woman
said to DR.. Guthrie when he was telling
her what very good woman she ought to
be. ''Oh," she said, ''if you were as
hungry and cold as | am, You could think
of nothing else" believe the great want
of our city is the Gospel and something to
eat. Faith and repentance are of infinite
Importance, but they cannot satisfy an
empty stomach You have TO 90 forth in
this work with the bread of eternal life in
your right hand, and the bread Of this life
in your left hand, and then you can touch
them, initiating the Lord Jesus Christ,
who first broke the bread and fed the null
titude in the Wilderness and then began to
preach recognizing the fact that while
people are hungry they will not listen, and
they will not repent. We want more CON-
mon sense in the distribution of our chari-
ties; fewer magnificent theories and more
hard work.
Still further: The great remedial inhu-
ence is
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.
Take that down through the lanes of suf-
fering Take that down amid the novels
of sin. Take that up amid the mansions
aud palaces of your city. That is the salt
that can cure all the poisoned fountains Of
public iniquity. Do you know that in
this cluster OF three cities, New York, Jer-
sey City, and Brooklyn, there ere great
multitude of homeless children? You see
| speak more in regard TO the youth and
the children of the country, because old
villains are seldom reformed, and there
fore | talk more about the little ones.
They sleep under the stoops, in the burn
ed-Out safe, in the wagons in the streets,
on the barges, wherever they can get a
board to cover them. And in the summer
they sleep all night long in the parks.
Their destitution is we'll set forth by an incl
dent. A city missionary asked one OF them
"Where is your home?" Said: II don't
have no home, sir" "Well, where are
your father and MOTHER They are
dead, sir" Did you ever hear Of Jesus
Christi" "No, don't think ever heard
of Him." did you ever hear Of God?''
Eyes, I've heard of God. Some Of the
poor people think it kind of lucky at night
to say something over about that before
they go to sleep. Yes, sir, I've heard oi
Him" Think of conversation like that
in Christian city.
HOW MANY ARE WAITING
Tor you TO come out in the spirit of the
Lord Jesus Christ and rescue them from
their wretchedness here! Oh that the
Church Of God had arms long enough and
hearts warm enough to take them up! How
many of them there are! As was think
ing of the subject this morning, il seemed
to me as though there was q great brink,
and that these little ones with cut and
torn feet were coming on toward it. And
here is a group of orphans. o, fathers and
mothers, what do you think of these faith
erless and mOtherless little ones? NJ
hand at home to take care Of thesr apparel
no heart to pity them. Said one little
one, when the mother died: "Who will
take care of my clothes nOw?' The little
ones are thrown out in this great, cold
world. They are shiyering on the brink
like lambs on the verge Of a preCipice
Does not your blood run cold as they e
over it?
And here is another group that come on
', toward the precipice. They are the chill
dren of besotted parents. They are worse
off than orphans. Look at that pale cheek
woe bleached it. Look at that cash acros'
the forehead; the father struck it. HeaI
that heart-piercing cry; drunken moth
er's blasphemy compelled it. And w
come out and we say: 30 ye suffering
peeled and blistered ones, we come TO hell
YOU" TOO late ~ cry thousands o
voices. ''The path we travel is steer
down, and we can't stop. Too late =
And we catch our breath and we make
terrific outcry. TOO late :" il echOeC
from the garret to the cellar, from tn
gin shop and from the brothel. TO-
later' 1t is too late, and they 90 over.
: Here is another group,
AN ARMY or NEGLECTED. CHILDREN.
They come on toward the brink, anc
, every time they step ten thousand heart
break The ground is red with the blOo'
: Of their feet. The air is heavy with thei
groans Their ranks are being filled NJ
from all the houses of iniquits and shame
Skeleton Despair pushes them toward tn
brink. The death-knell has already begll
4 to toll, and the angels Of God hover lik
3 birds over the plunge Of q cataract
. While these children are on the hrinl
| \. Il NHa1- hand